Nelly Karim Selected for Venice Film Festival Orizzonti Jury in Historic Egyptian Milestone
Egyptian actress Nelly Karim has been selected as a juror for the Orizzonti (Horizons) section of the 73rd Venice International Film Festival, marking a significant milestone in her career and in Egypt’s representation at one of the world’s major film festivals.
Karim, born in 1974 in Alexandria to an Egyptian father and Russian mother, was selected to serve on the Orizzonti jury alongside filmmaker Robert Guédiguian, who presided over the jury, as well as South Korean actress Moon So-ri and film critic Jim Hoberman.
Her selection makes Karim the first Egyptian actress to serve on the Venice Film Festival jury.
Other Egyptian filmmakers have previously participated in Venice juries, including renowned director Youssef Chahine and filmmaker Yousry Nasrallah, but Karim’s appointment represents a notable achievement for Egyptian acting talent on the international festival stage.
From Ballet to Egyptian Cinema
Karim began her career as a ballerina before transitioning into acting in the early 2000s.
Since making that transition, she has appeared in more than 25 Egyptian film and television productions and has established herself as one of the recognisable performers in Egyptian cinema and television.
Her career has included roles across both film and the highly competitive Ramadan television season in Egypt.
Among her recognised performances is Enta Omry, for which she received the Best Actress Award at the Cairo International Film Festival.
She also received a Special Award at the Cairo National Festival for Egyptian Cinema for One-Zero (2010), while her work in Mohamed Diab’s Cairo 6, 7, 8 earned recognition through the Jury Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
Nelly Karim’s Television Career
Beyond cinema, Karim has become particularly well known for her work in Egyptian Ramadan television dramas.
She starred in productions including A Girl Named Zat and Seqout Hor (Free Fall), strengthening her position as one of the prominent actresses working across both Egyptian film and television.
Her Venice jury appointment therefore adds an international festival responsibility to a career that has already covered several different areas of Egyptian entertainment.
Serving on the Orizzonti jury also gives Karim an opportunity to participate in the evaluation of films from different countries and filmmaking traditions.
Her selection comes as Egyptian cinema continues to maintain a presence on major international festival stages, with filmmakers and performers from the country regularly participating in international competitions and programmes.
For Karim, the Venice appointment represents another major stage in a career that began in ballet before moving into acting and eventually reaching one of Europe’s most prestigious film festivals.
